§ Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what stage has been reached in the EEC with regard to harmonisation of standards for safety glass in car windscreens.
§ Mr. PeytonA draft directive is before the Council.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, from the information available to him, he can state in 405W what other countries in Europe and North America it is a statutory requirement that private cars are fitted with laminated windscreens.
§ Mr. PeytonItaly, Norway, Sweden, Canada and the United States.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's position with regard to the proposal by the EEC Commission that all new motor vehicles should be fitted with laminated windscreens.
§ Mr. PeytonI believe that until the relative benefits of zone toughened and laminated windscreens are more clearly established motorists should remain free to choose either type.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what research his Department has conducted into the road safety implications of the compulsory fitting of laminated windscreens in new vehicles; and what have been the conclusions.
§ Mr. PeytonAll the known research, including that carried out by my Department's Transport and Road Research Laboratory, has been carefully reviewed. Two conclusions may be drawn with certainty; first that HPR laminated glass is superior to the older type laminated with a thin interlayer; second that both HPR laminated and toughened windscreens can cause unacceptable injuries, the majority of which could be avoided if seat belts were worn.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when assessing the desirability of making compulsory the fitting of laminated windscreens, what is the approximate extra cost per car estimated by his Department.
§ Mr. PeytonHPR laminated windscreens are estimated to cost two to two and a half times as much as toughened windscreens, the actual cost depending on the size and shape of the screen.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for the Environment which EEC countries have indicated their acceptance of the Commission's proposals for the 406W compulsory fitting of laminated windscreens; and which have objected.
§ Mr. PeytonThe United Kingdom does not favour the proposals in their present form but considers that both types of glass should be accepted for an interim period during which there should be Community-wide research into actual accidents. There is substantial support for this but I am not in a position to reveal the views of other Governments.